Digital Citizenship Tip of the Week – 5/19/2016

Summer is approaching and it is time to prepare yourself and your kids for summer camp. When your kid’s summer camp tells you to just pack the essentials — swim suit, sunscreen, sleeping bag — a cell phone is usually not on the list. In fact, it’s generally on the “What Not to Bring” list. But for parents, staying in touch with our kids feels essential, and some find it not so easy to break the habit of checking in. Here are sometried and tested tipsfor parents with the jitters about sending their kids on their summer camp adventure.

Ok, don’t laugh, but what about Virtual summer camp! Before you say “over my dead body” these aren’t the solitary, sedentary experiences you fear. Going to camp online can also give kids something unique: individual attention. You, a babysitter, a grandparent, or even an older sibling act as virtual camp counselors, leading — and even learning alongside — your kids. With many of the virtual camps in this blog, you can mix and match activities to tailor the experience to your kids’ interests. For example, DIY, where there are dozens of skill-based activities (which it calls “challenges”) in a variety of categories, including Art, Business, and Engineering, that kids can do year-round.Expect to be more involved if you go for the free, choose-your-own-adventure camps. But fee-based camps call for some adult participation, too.

Check out these interesting offerings to supplement those days at home when you are at a loss for what to do to keep your kids engaged and entertained!